Carbondale beats Murphysboro 70-33
MATT FERGUSON
The Weekender
The energy of Tuesday’s storm was perhaps
matched only by the intensity within
Carbondale Community High School’s gym as
the Carbondale Terriers and the Murphysboro
Red Devils continued their long-running boys
basketball rivalry.
Amidst the crowd’s thunderous roars and the
wail of the school band’s guitarist, the packed
varsity matchup ended 70-33 in Carbondale’s
favor.
“Little kids in Murphysboro grow up
wanting to play Carbondale, and kids that grow
up in Carbondale want to play Murphysboro,”
Carbondale principal Daniel Booth said. “It’s
such a long-lasting rivalry. It’s good for our
kids. Both crowds are always excited, they are
waiting for the night.”
Murphysboro student Dylan Miley said
there’s a lot of back and forth banter on
Facebook between the two towns.
“We have our years, and they have theirs,”
Miley said.
Despite the team’s close proximity to each
other, the rivalry has seen fewer matchups
because of the difference in students enrolled
to the respective schools. Murphysboro coach
Daryl Murphy said Murphysboro’s enrollment
has increased to 600, which is about half of
Carbondale’s, since he started coaching about

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18 years ago.
With larger enrollment comes more possible
incoming talent, and Carbondale moved to
a higher bracket and out of Murphysboro’s
division in 2008. Despite the potential talent
difference, Murphysboro has recently seen the
more successful program.
Coach Murphy holds the most wins as head
coach in Red Devils history with 312. The Red
Devils have a record of 73-17, 9-13 so far this
season during the past three seasons, including
runs to regionals and sectionals in the last two
seasons.
Carbondale has seen similar success under
current coach Jim Miller. His 259 wins as

Carbondale’s coach ranks him second only
behind coach Doug Woolard’s 283 he set in his
14 years from ’75-’89.
“I’ve known Daryl for many years now,”
Miller said. “He’s a great competitor. His
teams are always well prepared. It’s been a
pleasure having that kind of rivalry and having
a good friend that sits on the opposite bench.”
Coach Miller’s last four meetings against his
friend and rival have a 2-2 record.
Aside from the blowout Tuesday night,
the games have been close and decided by an
average 8.3 points.
“It hasn’t been based on the talent of either
team,” Miller said. “It’s that rivalry that doesn’t

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matter who has the better team. It’s always
going to be a very competitive game, and we
know that going in. It brings the best out of
both teams.”
The rivalry’s relationship is best shown by
Joe Hamilton, former Carbondale player and
current Carbondale assistant coach. Hamilton
reminisced about the intensity he felt as
a
player
who
faced
Murphysboro
players such as brothers Travis and Bobby
Kellum. Years later, he said he finds himself
uniquely connected with the rivalry beyond his
playing years.
“It’s always good to have the bragging
rights and to know who is the best in Jackson
County,” Hamilton said.
“My wife is one of the Kellums, back in
the day me and her brothers were rivals ... We
talk about times that they beat us and we beat
them. It’s all a good debate but it’s all fun and
games.”
The rivalry’s proximity and intensity creates
a unique experience for both schools’ students
and one principle Booth doesn’t want to be
without.
“It’s good for the kids, and that’s what it’s
all about,” Booth said. “These are four years
that the kids will never forget. They will never
forget the Carbondale-Murphysboro games.
That’s something I’d feel bad about if the
next generation of kids wouldn’t be able to
experience it.”